Harry Kane and Alan Shearer not best England striker of Premier League era and Arsenal hero Ian Wright not in top five

27/03/2024 15:48

Wayne Rooney is England’s greatest striker of the Premier League era – Harry Kane, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright aren’t in the same league.

That’s according to talkSPORT Drive presenter Darren Bent, who claims Kane and Shearer are not quite up there.

In fact, Wright doesn’t even make the top five, which will be hard for him to admit, given Bent is a huge Arsenal fan.

Premier League 100 club member Bent, who managed 106 goals in 276 appearances in the English top flight, was given the tough task of ranking England’s five greatest-ever forwards.

And there are perhaps some surprise names in the list…

“Covering No.5, I am going to go to Teddy Sheringham,” said the talkSPORT Drive host.

“He [Sheringham] is great; he scored 11 goals for England, two in a major tournament. Good player, but I have him at five.

“Sheringham was at West Ham and I was at Ipswich, good player, he wasn’t the quickest, but his intelligence dropping into positions.

“He was great in the air, too. Nowadays, everybody has got to be able to run and rat around a little bit, but he was intelligent, dropping off the front. Unbelievable in the air, and those little side-footed shots.

“I remember him celebrating against Arsenal when he won the title, stroking the trophy.

“No.4 is the all-time Premier League goalscoring champion, Alan Shearer.

“Shearer, 30 goals for England, nine at major tournaments. Four World Cup appearances, nine Euro’s appearances and seven goals.

“Had a little dry spell leading up to Euro 96, but Shearer, listen, if I were picking an all-time Premier League XI, he would be close to getting in.

“I loved him; listen, nine Euro’s appearances and seven goals—that is prolific. That goal against Holland at Euro 96 was a smash!

“No.3 is Michael Owen; he is somebody who was incredible.

“He [Owen] has six goals in major competitions, 12 World Cup appearances, and four goals.

“Seven Euro appearances and two goals. He is someone I remember who burst on to the scene, and I thought, ‘Oh my goodness’. I remember watching him for England youths, and he was like a whirlwind.

“When he got into the squad at 18, his pace – that was the big thing I remember about Owen. He could run away from anyone.

“I know it is not England, but I remember him playing for Liverpool, and in the cup final, we [Arsenal] had them dead and buried, and then he scored two in five minutes!

“The hat-trick against Germany, in Germany, was incredible; he got 40 goals for England.

“The injury he got just took its toll, that burst of speed was just not how it once was.

“When you play for Liverpool, Manchester United, and Real Madrid, they are on your CV.

“No.2 is Kane; 62 goals for England, 12 in major tournaments, 11 World Cup appearances and eight goals. Eleven Euros appearances and four goals.

“Kane is an unbelievable player, but I would have loved to have seen what would happen with Rooney had he continued without the injuries.

“Rooney is No.1. That performance in 2004 for England is the best I have seen by any forward in my lifetime.

“Wazza was different; I saw him from the very start all the way to the end.

“He is another player we don’t talk about enough – Wayne Rooney was incredible.”